Superheroes
by Scarlett Amberlyn
Summary: Sherlock discovers that 'more that a man' meant just that - Moriarty is working with a group of mages, but his aim is unclear. Hot on Moriarty's trail, Sherlock reasons that perhaps heroes do exist after all. {Originally entitled 'The Hitman and the Detective'; spoilers for Mortal Coil and S02E01}
1. Chapter 1

The air was thick. John could hear his ragged breathing and the blood rushing in his ears. Sherlock's arm never wavered, never faltered. Nothing moved.

"Crazy… crazy for feeling so lonely…" A tinny ringtone echoed through the pool. Moriarty exhaled loudly through his nose.

"Uh… Boss?" said a slow Texan drawl, "Mind if I get that?" Moriarty glared at the tiles in front of his feet as they parted and someone broke through. All Sherlock could see was the back of a blonde head. The Texan spoke again:

"It's the missus…" Moriarty sighed.

"Fine." He looked over apologetically to Sherlock, "Sorry about this."

"Oh, no, it's fine." The gun still didn't move. All eyes were on the Texan as he casually brought a phone to his ear.

"Hi, hun… no… Look, sugar, I'm kinda busy right-… Really?…" he sighed, "That's kinda irritatin', huh? Try the thumbscrews… First drawer, yeah …Awh, you sure?...Yeah, I'll tell the boss. He won't be happy though-… okay, catch up with ya later then… bye, honey bun!" He put the phone away. "Sorry. Missus says he ain't cooperatin'. She says she reckons he'll talk to you though."

Moriarty pulled a face.

"Some people are just so picky," he said to Sherlock, "I'm glad we're not like that." He added with a good natured wink. "Why don't you come and say hello, Mr Sanguine, I'm sure our guests are dying to meet you."

"I'll bet they are." The Texan said, rising completely out of the ground. He turned to Sherlock and John, a bright white smile plastered to his tanned face. He wore sunglasses and a casual suit. "I'm assumin' this is the great Consultin' Detective." He flashed Sherlock another dazzling grin, "I do hope I've not turned up underdressed." Sherlock ignored him.

"Ya see," the man continued, removing his sunglasses to show empty sockets where his eyes should have been. "I've heard so much about you, I-" he stopped and laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry! How very rude of me!" He slid the glasses into an inside pocket of his suit jacket, "Billy-Ray Sanguine. Hit-man _Deluxe." _

Sherlock simply looked at him in disbelief, lowering the gun.

"You are impossible." Sanguine laughed loudly.

"I've been called worse."

"You _have_ no _eyes_…." John's voice was shaky and the acoustics of the pool made every tremor stand out, "_How_ can you…" he trailed off, his dark blue eyes wide with both horror and fascination.

Sherlock didn't look impressed.

"So, what," he said, not bothering to hide the sneer on his face, "you're a wizard?"

"I believe the word you're looking for is _mage_." Sanguine sniggered, "_Wizard_… I ain't from no Harry Potter book…"

Sherlock turned away, bored.

"I'm assuming your boss here's a _mage_ too then, Mr Sanguine?"

Moriarty sauntered past Sanguine.

"No, Sherlock, don't be obvious. My father was. My sister too – well, my step sister – and I must say she is quite a character. My step-brother died before we could be acquainted; rather irksome, I'm sure you'll agree." Moriarty brushed some imaginary lint from the sleeve of his suit. "But I am perfectly non-magical, I'm afraid. I guess I got all the good looks to make up for it."

"Well," Sanguine said, resting a hand on Moriarty's shoulder, "We'd love to stay and chat, but me an' the boss have some evil plans to see to; world domination, mass destruction, all the good stuff. I hope we'll bump into each other again, Mr Holmes."

Sanguine inclined his head and he and Moriarty sank quickly beneath the tiles, a mere crack left in the ceramic to show they had ever been there.


	2. Chapter 2

"'E finally lost it then?" Sergeant Sally Donovan set a mug of black coffee down by Lestrade's elbow. Donovan did not wear an expression of contempt, as she usually did when on the subject of the Consulting Detective; today she wore a smug smile. Lestrade looked pained:

"You heard all that?"

"Well, he did shout practically everything he said. I knew he was crazy, but…eyeless Americans? Disappearing men?" She laughed, "I just hope it ain't contagious, or you'll be catching it next." Donovan took some papers from an 'out' box and left the office. Lestrade sighed and glanced over to the phone. He had a call to make.

"Who was that?" Valkyrie put the last of the slice of pizza into her mouth while she waited for Skulduggery to answer.

"Lestrade."

"Who?"

"An old friend of mine. Used to work for the English Sanctuary but decided it wasn't for him. Last I heard he was Detective Inspector for the mortal police in London."

"And he's suddenly calling you because..?"

"One of his people comes in from a big case raving about _mages_. He thought it might interest us."

"He give you any names?"

"No, but he said he'd ring once he'd got their flight details."

"Cool, let's go."

"Well, he did say one other thing."

Valkyrie narrowed her eyes at him, not liking the apprehensive tone in Skulduggery's voice.

"The detective gave a description that sounded an awful lot like Sanguine."

"Oh. Brilliant."Valkyrie scowled as she pulled on her coat.

"I don't know what you're moaning about, this is the perfect opportunity for me to add another amazing feat to my already extensive list by foiling his plans. Again." Skulduggery replied, picking up his hat and the keys to the Bentley.

"And why does that make it better for me?"

"You'll be companion to the best detective in Ireland."

"Lucky me."

"_Ireland?_"

"Yes, John, Ireland. Sanguine had some soil stuck to his lapel. Irish, obviously."

"Obviously…" John murmured, watching in bewilderment as Sherlock rushed around the flat throwing things into his suitcase.

"Come _on_, John! We need to get to the airport as quickly as possible!" Sherlock moaned, frustrated that John was being so _slow_. "This is the case of a lifetime! We're onto something big here, John!"

"I thought we'd agreed that wizards were boring?"

"Oh, please, John," Sherlock sighed, "I'm not talking about the American. Moriarty's network is still operational, multinational too, apparently, this is a good lead to tracking him down and stopping him for good; now come _on_, John!"

John allowed himself a half-smile at Sherlock's child-like impatience. Like a kid at Christmas.

"Fine, fine, I'm going."

There was a tentative knock on the door frame as Mrs Hudson came into the flat.

"Oh." She said, frowning slightly, "What's going on here, then?" she asked, "Sherlock?"

The detective completely ignored her, packing his microscope into its case. John had to answer her question.

"We'll be going to Ireland for a bit, Mrs Hudson – latest case."

"Oh, I see, right, well… I want all those feet you've got in fridge out before you go – I don't want them going off!"

"Of course, Mrs Hudson." Came the calm reply from Sherlock, carefully slotting test tubes into a bag.

"I'll leave you boys to it then… you take care of him John."

John gave her a reassuring smile.

"Of course I will."

She smiled back and bustled off back downstairs while John went to go and pack.


End file.
